What If?
by Poppyseed68
Summary: What if Cirdan had a return ship to Middle Earth? This is my first fanfic, I'm quite new at this so please review!
1. Sting

"And that," Sam said, "Is the story of Sting."  Sam's story about Frodo's famous sword had stretched on all morning, but his listeners had never tired of it.  "I guess it was a good idea to keep them interested." He said to himself.  It was just as well, as a full-blown snowstorm was waiting to burst and he knew that the young hobbits would want to go outside and would be very disappointed when they learned they couldn't.  Sam was in charge not only of his own children (whose number was quite a few) but also Merry's two- Theoden and young Meriadoc, and Pippin's two- Faramir and Poppy.  Theoden and Faramir were never a problem, they had adopted the laid back attitudes that each of their mothers possessed, but Meriadoc and Poppy (whose name was to be Peregrin if she had been a boy) had adopted the nature of their fathers, which meant something was to be smashed, cracked, or broken, the kitchen larders were to be empty, and they were to be in trouble by the end of the day.  The Brandybuck and Took fathers were gone for the next two days on a trip to visit Farmer Maggot, Estella was gone to the market and then to make a brief visit to her parents, and Diamond was back with relatives again, she stayed with them very often nowadays. Even Rosie was gone with the youngest of the Gamgee children to visit her father and the rest of the Cotton brood. 

Sam was wondering how Diamond and Peregrin managed to still maintain a relationship, with her gone all the time, but was cut out of his thoughts by a distinct Tookish brogue.  "Sam, do we get to see the sword or are you going to keep it all to yourself?" Poppy said.  Sam rolled his eyes and muttered 'Tooks' under his breath.  He wondered how it was possible to have yet another hobbit that was identical to Pippin.  "I already told you that _no one_ could have the sword, touch it or anything.  It is very valuable and you are too young."  Sam recited these two lines in the manner of someone who had said them over and over.  He then looked at the faces of the youngest Took and Brandybuck and saw that they were thinking hard.  Sam sighed, put the sword in its box on the top shelf, then put on his strictest face, and made the two youngest look him in the eye while he told them that they would be in trouble if anything on that top shelf was out of order when he came back from luncheon.  

The other hobbits had left, Faramir and Theoden giving their younger siblings looks identical to Sam's, knowing that they would be in trouble if the two troublemakers got up to anything.  

Now it was just Poppy and Merry in the same room, a deadly combination.  Poppy turned to Merry and grinned.  Now that everyone was in the dining room  (a full four rooms away from the comfortable study at Bag End) they knew they could get Sting from the top closet shelf as well as their old Cousin Bilbo's book and Cousin Frodo's mithril coat and the phial that an elf named Galadriel had given to Frodo, something that the two cousins had only seen once, and by accidentally stumbling across Sam while he had it out.  

They had to be quick however, so Merry immediately kneeled down and clasped his hands together while Poppy climbed into them.  Her fingers clutched around something soft and gray.  She gently yanked on the fabric, this looked like one of the cloaks that her father had.  As she pulled, the perfectly carved wooden box with Sting nestled inside slid closer and closer to the edge of the shelf.  Neither Poppy nor Merry noticed until it was too late.  Poppy had just looked down with a triumphant grin on her face at the prospect of getting to actually try on one of those elven cloaks when Merry's face turned white with horror and the box fell down to the beautiful wooden floors of Bag End with a crash. The cloak ripped through the center, nearly three quarters of the way up, the box holding the sword had cracked open and the box holding the mithril coat had fallen on top of the sword, luckily not breaking it but making the sword cut quite an impressive notch into the polished wood floors. 

Poppy looked at her cousin, only two years older than she was, and gulped. Her eyes clearly said that they needed to get out, and quick.  The noise would've alerted Sam even if he were on the opposite side of Bag End.  They looked at each other with terror shining in their eyes.  "POPPY, MERIADOC, I TOLD YOU NOT TO GET UP THERE!"  They heard Sam's voice echo from the dining room.

They both gulped, knowing that Sam could (and would) deal out a punishment that would equal the stories of Gandalf's punishments that their fathers had told them. Merry felt tears stinging at the corners of his eyes, Poppy was already letting little waterfalls of tears fall down her chubby cheeks, and they both felt like they were going to be sick.  Merry finally let his cousin down to where she could stand on the floor again instead of in his hands and grabbed her by her wrist.  He had an idea that could save them from facing Sam's wrath, at least for a little while. 


	2. Getting out

"Poppy, Meriadoc, if I find you you're both going to be in BIG trouble!"  Sam yelled through the halls of the huge hobbit hole.  What Sam didn't know was that the two young hobbits had a plan, and had already started putting it to use.  

Merry didn't even think what the consequences were when he first had his plan, he only thought of how to put it to use quickly.  He had taken Poppy all the way to the bedroom where they had put their winter clothes, bundling up to where they could barely see their faces.  Poppy quickly wrapped her scarf, a green one with purple and gray and orange specks, around her while Merry finished fastening his cloak.  He hissed, "Follow me." Poppy wondered where they were going to go, but didn't resist.  She followed him until both hobbits were outside and surrounded by a mottled pale gray sky that could only mean one thing, snow.  She reached behind her to close the door.  They had forgotten that the back entrance had hinges that squeaked.  Poppy squealed and Merry yelled at her to run.  

Sam was beginning to wonder exactly where the two rapscallions were hiding.  Bag End was a large hobbit hole, but not so big that he couldn't find them within an hour.  He knew every hiding spot in the hole from having to search for a young Pippin and Merry when they were hiding from everyone from Frodo to Gandalf.   His wrath hadn't subsided yet, but he was starting to get worried.  After nearly a half hour he hadn't found a trace of the two troublemakers and was starting to contemplate the possibility that they had went outside.  "No, they wouldn't do that, not with the way the sky looks." He assured himself, and continued his search by treading down the stairs to the cellar. 


	3. The disadvantages of running away

"Merrryyy, it's getting cold!"  The little Took complained.  "We've missed luncheon and afternoon tea and dinner and by now supper!  We didn't even have elevenses because we were listening to Sam's story!"  Poppy was a girl but was just as strong as a lad, but she also had shorter legs than her older cousin and had the Took appetite she had inherited from her father.  Merry could go longer without food, but not this long.  His stomach was starting to rumble loudly and there was no way he could deny it.  They had meant to walk to Buckland or the Smials, but had underestimated the distance.  The snow had started falling at least two hours ago, slowly at first making the hobbits stop and try to catch snowflakes in their mouth and then run gleefully through it.  However, after just fifteen minutes of this rare gift of a snow flurry, the snow had started to come down in huge amounts, making it feel like an avalanche was constantly falling on their curly heads.  Poppy's hands were so cold that Merry had to help her put her mittens on and pull her cloak hood up tightly around her face.  Now the snow was up to past their ankles, making it hard to walk and freezing their feet that were so accustomed to walking without need of shoes.  

            Merry stopped in the middle of their path and let Poppy catch up.  He knew that that they wouldn't make it to the Smials or Buckland as they had planned to do.  He also knew that they couldn't go much further.  He felt Poppy come to his side and whisper through chattering teeth "I think we should've brought that elven cloak with us too, how about you Merry?"  Merry smiled and put an arm around his cousin, who was starting to sleepily stumble through the snow.  I think I see an abandoned wagon over there; we'll go get in it and find some food and rest until the storm stops.  Sam will send someone out to find us, I'm sure of it.  Poppy nodded and smiled, then started to trudge alongside her cousin to their home for the night. 

            Back at Bag End, Sam had given up his search for the night, thinking that he had heard some noises from behind the kegs in the cellar and figuring at that it was two young hobbits that were hiding from him.  His father had always let him come out of hiding and face his punishment when he was ready, and Sam now figured this was the best idea.  If he didn't hear them tiptoeing through the kitchen for a late night snack, they were sure to be at the breakfast table the next morning.  He fell asleep, not knowing that his young charges were not in the outside getting ready to make a discovery that no one could've imagined. 


	4. Shelter for the night

As Poppy and Merry neared the wagon, they learned that it wasn't abandoned at all, but inhabited by a group of unlikely companions sitting around a makeshift fire.  One was tall, taller than a man, with a long white beard and dressed completely in white. He was smoking a pipe and blowing magnificent smoke rings into the air that spiraled and flipped and turned through each other.  This would've been enough to hold the attentions of the two hobbits for the night, but there was more.  There was a hobbit with the group.  He had dark brown curls and by the fire they could see he had huge blue eyes that Poppy was sure would see them.  There was also an elf, something that neither had seen before but knew that is what it was from the stories they had heard.  He had long blonde hair and was tall and slim like the young saplings that sprouted outside the Smials during the spring.  There was also another companion that they only knew from stories, a dwarf with a long braided beard and hair that nearly covered his whole face. Merry wondered if these were his father's companions on his journey years ago, but knew that he must be dreaming.  He knew that the elf and dwarf had stayed in Middle Earth, but the other two had left to the Undying Lands, and this elf and dwarf surely wouldn't come all this way to the Shire. 

            Suddenly the elf started talking, and his voice was softer and nicer than any the hobbits had ever heard.  It sounded as sweet as honey, and the thought of honey made Poppy's stomach growl.  Merry held his breath and softly hushed Poppy but none of the group of strange companions seemed to notice.  The elf went on, and the dwarf talked too in his deep voice, telling their other companions what a miracle it was to see them again, and how it was so hard to tell them farewell in the first place, how many tears had been shed, and how those tears would all be shed again over their arrival.  

            Poppy felt as if she was dreaming, and leaned against Merry's shoulder and yawned.  "Merry, I'm tired, can we sleep now?"  Poppy said starting to let her eyes droop and all her weight rest on her older cousin.  Merry worried that one of the group would notice they were sneaking into their wagon, but noticed how deep in discussion they were and muttered an "Alright Poppy, let's go," to his cousin.  They quietly made their way to the wagon, climbed into it as quietly as possible, and snuggled down amidst the blankets and packs that they found pushed into the back.  As he watched his cousin's eyes start to blink less often and finally close, her breathing turn into deep, even breaths, he wondered how they were going to get out of this, and hoped for the best.  After a few minutes of worrying, he reassured himself that things would work out and let his own eyes close and fell asleep. 


	5. Coming back

Merry hadn't been wrong with his first guess.  Gandalf and Frodo had actually come back from the Grey Havens.  Frodo was healed from his hurts almost completely, and he hadn't aged a bit since he had arrived at the Havens.  He spent many long and seemly endless days in the paradise that he now called home wishing to see his cousins and his gardener once more.  He knew Sam would've had more young hobbits, and was sure that Merry had and that Pippin, no matter how icky he used to think girls were, had found himself a nice lass and had a few children of his own.  One day a ship had arrived to the Grey Havens.  Cirdan was its captain, as was usual.  Frodo had seen many a ship arrive with more elves that had chosen to leave Middle Earth.  However, this time the ship was arriving for a new reason.

            Cirdan had come to land to talk to Frodo and Gandalf.  He knew of Frodo's wishes.  He wanted to help.  He knew that no one could ever repay the Ringbearer for his acts of courage and bravery.  He knew that Frodo wouldn't be able to stay forever in his beloved Shire if he did come back, so he had decided to let him come, along with Gandalf, for as long as he could bear.  Once he tired, he would be able to come back, but he couldn't be let to think of these trips back and forth as a way of life.  

            When Cirdan had told Frodo of his decision, Frodo was overjoyed.  He didn't know what to do.  He knew that he couldn't stay forever in Middle Earth, in his beloved Shire, but he also knew that he would only get this one chance and he wanted it so badly.  It was arranged that Frodo and Gandalf would come back to Middle Earth once again on the next ship that Cirdan brought over. 

            The day finally came, Cirdan had found Legolas and told him of Frodo's plan to come back to the land, that no matter how much he loved the freeness and beauty of the Havens, would always be dearest to his heart.  Legolas was sure this would have some sort of negativity to it, but the happiness in his heart was overflowing and he went and alerted Gimli at once.  They were there the night that the ship arrived from the Grey Havens, and for once it carried more than just Cirdan.  Legolas had brought a wagon that was almost identical to Gandalf's old one, he had the elves help him build it and then carve into it every blessing in the Elvish tongue.  He had put the best horses to pull it, one being Shadowfax and the other being Asphodel.

            However, they had arrived in the harshest of seasons, winter.  Legolas and Gimli spent a long time just sitting with the wagon and wondering how they would get it to the Shire, but all other thoughts were erased when Frodo and Gandalf arrived.  The friends spent hours talking, laughing, crying, and just basking in the others happiness and enjoying being side by side once more.  

            Frodo was restless, however, and wanted to go to his homeland first.  They started out the next morning.  Frodo cried silent tears of happiness as he realized he was going home one more time.  The first morning had been beautiful, Middle Earth in its entire wintertime splendor.  That afternoon had started to show signs of snow, and that night they were sure that there were a few snowflakes that had fallen.  

The second morning Frodo had awoken everyone with joy.  He knew that by nightfall he would be home.  The weather didn't tame itself for the hero's homecoming and the snow started to heavily fall in the afternoon.  When it had first started lightly snowing it made Frodo think of the soft white seeds of the cottonwood falling to the ground in the spring.  He let the snow kiss his face and rejoiced that the Shire would be getting such a rare treat.  His happiness soon faded when the snow picked up, reminding him of the cruelty of Caradhras and making him shudder with the cold.  By the time that night started to fall upon the world Gandalf had to tell Frodo that they must stop.  Frodo was disheartened but agreed that they must stop, and everyone got off of the wagon.  Legolas said he would see to the horses but Gandalf went to care for his Shadowfax, his faithful steed that had carried him so far and helped him through so much.  

The small company settled down for a small supper and a warm fire, which Gandalf started.  They all spent the early night the same as they had spent the first night that they had been together, with tears and laughter and just plain enjoyment of being together again.  As they sat everyone wondered about the others.  Gandalf kept thinking about Peregrin for some reason and wondered how many little Fool of a Tooks he had had.  Of course, Meriadoc came into his head too, and he wondered if there was yet another Pippin and Merry in the Shire for everyone to have to look out for and for the farmers to have to put locked gates on their crops to keep the two scoundrels out.  If only he knew how soon he would meet them


	6. An unexpected surprise

"Well," Frodo said yawning, "How about we all get settled down for the night?  I think we'll need the energy tomorrow to keep up with everyone and all their stories!"  Everyone else agreed, even though everyone but Frodo feared that they would have to stay in the same place another night because of the ferocity of the storm.  No one had the heart to break it to Frodo, and they were all at least a bit weary of their traveling for the day, so they decided to go unload the packs with their blankets from the back of the wagon.  Legolas hardly ever slept after the manner of his kind, and Gandalf was always too alert to totally relax and rest, but everyone welcomed being able to get warm and relax and just be able to think to themselves if they couldn't sleep. 

Legolas got up and went to the wagon to get everyone's belongings and then gasped with surprise.  Gandalf immediately went over, fearing something bad had happened, and Gimli and Frodo closely followed.  

Nestled between their packs and blankets were two young hobbits.  One had light curls that lay neatly on his head.  He was slightly bigger than the other one and was wearing a neatly fitted weskit beneath his coat and cloak.  Frodo knew that the lad was a Brandybuck immediately.  Frodo then was the one to gasp with surprise.  The younger lass could only be a Took.  He looked over each of her features, the chestnut curls that sprang from her head at every possible angle, the slightly pointy noise and chubby cheeks, the rosebud shaped mouth.  Legolas saw that Frodo was now inspecting the lass and told him to look at her scarf.  It was wrapped around her neck tightly and only a bit of the end was visible from underneath her cloak, but it was without a doubt Peregrin's scarf, the one that had went from one side of Middle Earth to the other and back.

"It, It, It can't be." Frodo muttered to himself.  By then all four companions knew who they had sleeping in the back of their wagon.  Gimli and Legolas both wore fond smiles for the two young hobbits; Frodo had warm tears falling down his face, blurring his vision a bit but still being cried out of pure happiness.  Gandalf was the only one that wasn't smiling.  Gimli noticed and jokingly asked, "Are you going to punish them Gandalf, the newest little Fool of a Took and her caretaker?"  

Legolas noticed Gandalf's concern and asked what was bothering him.  Gandalf finally said "We must get them warm, they are in danger of pneumonia."  Frodo shuddered, thinking that these two, most likely his youngest cousins, would get pneumonia and die.  Gandalf took each of the young hobbits, wrapped them tightly in blankets and settled each on his lap. He felt their foreheads and knew they had a fever.  

Poppy opened bleary eyes and looked up, expecting to see the sky but instead seeing the tall man with the beard.  She tried to close her eyes to make it look like she had never awaken, but it was too late.  She felt horrible, her body was hot but there wasn't a force on the earth that could make her get out of the blankets someone had bundled her in.  She let her Tookish curiosity get to her and blearily asked "Who are you?" 

Gandalf smiled at the brogue that he hadn't heard in so long, and noticed that everyone else was too.  Just as he was beginning to answer the young Brandybuck awoke and found himself in the same state as Poppy was, hot and cold at the same time.  

"I am Gandalf the White, and I'm here to help you.  I believe you ha" he started but before he finished the Took had another question.  "How are you Gandalf, when Gandalf left with Cousin Frodo years ago?" she asked.  "I am Gandalf, I came back from the Havens with Frodo, and this is Legolas and Gimli, we are here to help you for I fear you ha" he didn't get to finish yet again, this time it was the young Brandybuck lad asking "Frodo's here?  How did you get back?  Is this a horrible joke?"  "I think it is." Poppy said as she began to yawn hugely.

"Hush!"  Gandalf ordered the pair, and they immediately were silent.  Frodo smiled at the way he was still able to command a Took and Brandybuck pair.  Poppy started to cry, thinking she had done something wrong.  Gandalf knew now that there were yet another Pippin and Merry pair and for a second felt sorry for all the farmers and all the people that got in the way of these two.  Then he noticed that the littlest was crying and cradled her close.  "Hush little ones," he said calmly.  "Can you tell me what your names are?"  "Meriadoc Brandybuck, and I guess I'm the second one, you know my father." Merry said.  "P-Poppy Took" Poppy said, still stuttering a little from her tears.  " And my da is Peregrin Took, he's the Thain now, and I think you know who he is but I feel bad and I don't know."  

Gandalf told them both that he did know who they were and that they would be safe.  "You both have fevers." He said gently. "We'll help you, but now you must sleep, you are safe, don't worry."  Gandalf slowly rocked the two to sleep as if they were babies and heard soft snoring coming from the bundle that was Merry.  He thought he had Poppy to sleep when felt her shift and look up at him with her huge green eyes.  "Gandalf?" She asked.  "Yes Poppy?"  Gandalf wondered what could be troubling the little one now.  "Don't tell Sam that we came this far, or that we were lost, or that we got into your wagon without asking, or that, or anything." She said quickly.  Gandalf smiled, "Don't worry, I'll make you two sound like angels when we bring you back to Sam."  


	7. Happiness with a few problems

Sam awoke the next morning and cheerfully went to work making breakfast. He had toast with jam set out on the table, along with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, hotcakes, and the two youngest hobbit's favorite, peppermint tea. He called to everyone to come to the table and settled down in his chair. All of the hobbits settled down and started to pile their plates to the point that they would break if any more food was place upon them and started to eat.  
  
Time passed and no sign of Poppy or Merry was to be found. Sam was only slightly worried since everyone was just beginning to start on seconds. When everyone started to pile his or her plates with third helpings, Sam began to get worried. He excused himself from the table and went down to the cellar. He'd never known those two to be able to resist food for so long. First he called to the two, giving them a chance to redeem themselves before he had to come and dig them out from behind the kegs in the cellar himself.  
  
No answer came to his calls, and Sam decided that he would have to go and get the two out himself. He moved the kegs one by one to the side, and gave a triumphant "I found you two!" as he moved the last keg to the side. He had expected to see two young hobbits, the source of the noises he heard the night before. He didn't find any hobbits, but he did find the source of the noise, a bird had made its nest behind the kegs.  
  
Sam stared at the ceiling and said "Why me?" He had not a clue of what to do now, and he was about to make the decision of a search party, when he heard one of his sons yell "Dad! There is someone at the door!"  
  
Sam rushed up the cellar steps two at a time and half expected to find someone saying that something horrible had happened to his youngest charges. Instead he found the young charges standing at the door, looking up at him with guilty faces.  
  
He let his anger and exasperation show now that he had the two in front of him. "What do you two think you were doing running off? You could've been dead by now! Where were you all night?" Sam let this off as fast and as loud as was possible.  
  
"We're alright." Poppy said. " We were with Gandalf and Frodo and Legolas and Gimli, and they fed us and made us feel a little better although I'm still not feeling my best." "Neither am I." Merry added hastily, seeing Sam's anger raging.  
  
"You two are going straight to the study and letting me get that strap on your bottoms!" He ordered. "First you disobey me, then you run off, and now you're daring to lie to me by telling me that Frodo and Gandalf are back? You two don't know how much trouble you're in right now!"  
  
Poppy started crying and looked desperately to Merry for help. "We're not lying! It's the truth!" She said in between her sobs. "Come on Poppy, he doesn't believe it, let's get it over with, come on now." Merry gently coaxed. He felt himself start to cry even though he was trying to be the brave one.  
  
Sam turned to herd the little rascals to the study when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Sam, I know it's hard, but you really must believe those two every once in a while." Sam turned and he felt as if his eyes had popped out of his head a few inches. "It can't be."  
  
Sam wasn't sure what to say. When Frodo had left everything had went in slow motion, everything had went so terrible those first few months. Then Sam had worked it out in his brain that he wouldn't be able to see his master again for a long while. He had spent many an hour crying while Rosie and his little ones spent hours trying to cheer him up. It had finally worked, and although Sam could never forget how dear Frodo was to him, he knew that he would have to wait until he was ready to go across to the Havens, never to return, to see his beloved Mr. Frodo once more.  
  
Now Frodo was standing in front of Sam's face. Sam felt himself being pulled into a massive hug and assured that it really was Frodo. Sam saw that during the time away Frodo had improved so much, he looked the same as he did before he left on the quest. Next Gandalf came through the door, with Poppy saying weakly "Remember Gandalf, we were angels." Gandalf just smiled at the little one and then kneeled down to give Sam a hug also. Sam thought nothing could be better until Legolas and Gimli walked through the door together and into Bag End for the first time. Frodo noticed that Sam was crying, but then realized that he was crying too. The others were the same way. Even Gandalf had softened up a little bit.  
  
"Frodo, I'm so glad you're back!" Sam said amidst his tears. "I should've stuck to what Mr. Gandalf said and never left you, then I wouldn't be in this state!" Frodo smiled and said "I'm glad you're with me again Sam, you and everyone else."  
  
Gimli was smiling as the rest were, but happened to look over to their two charges from the night before, the ones that had ate all of Gimli's breakfast and slept wrapped in his extra blankets. His smile turned into a frown when he saw what a state the two were in. Poppy was leaning all her weight on Merry, but it looked like it was all that the latter could do to keep the other one up. "Sam," Gimli heard the younger one ask, "I think I'm going to be sick."  
  
Sam turned around to see that Poppy had indeed been sick, all over the floor and her coat and even on Merry. Merry looked as if he was going to complain, but found himself throwing up as Poppy had seconds earlier.  
  
"Sam, let's get these two to bed, alright?" Frodo asked. Sam was happier than ever to hear a new order from his master, but he wished it wasn't this one. How was he going to explain to their fathers? 


	8. The first night home

The night ahead wasn't to be a restful one.  The other hobbits had wanted stories and wanted to ask questions to all the new guests of Bag End, but Sam had herded them off to bed early and told them to be good and quiet if they didn't want to get into any trouble.

 The night started out as being spent running from one room to the next, changing linens and pouring medicines down the throats of the young hobbits, only to be thrown up moments later and be made to try to go down them again.  Finally they decided to move the two sick hobbits to the same room, seeing as how if they were together they seemed to be more obliging to retaking medicines and having to almost continuously change their night clothes.  

As the night wore on their vomiting slowly started to cease, only for them to start shivering with chills that couldn't be stopped.  Sam had fetched them both three nightshirts each to wear and bundled them up in so many blankets that just the tips of their noses and their eyes were clearly showing.  Frodo laughed to himself, remembering all the times that Sam had done the same to a young Pippin and Merry.  

After what seemed like thousands of medicines to Merry, he started to feel a bit better.  He noticed that Poppy eyes were drooping and knew she must feel better enough to be able to sleep.  Frodo had went to Poppy once he knew that she was beginning to get tired and started stroking her curls, just as he had done to Pippin what seemed like just yesterday.  He noticed that Legolas had taken over stroking the young Brandybuck's neatly combed curly locks. Legolas started singing softly and Frodo felt himself begin to nod off.  This wasn't the first night home he had expected, but it wasn't a disappointment.


	9. The three cousins together again

The next morning at breakfast Faramir and Theoden and the other older hobbits were talking loudly about how unfair it was that the younger ones were getting babied so, and how they wanted to get some stories out of the new arrivals, and how it must be nice to get all the attention every once in a while.  Sam started to scold them for talking like that, but Gandalf told him not to and promised for stories later.  

Gimli had little rest the night before, and was now sleeping soundly through the noise of several young hobbits having breakfast.  Gandalf had gone out to the stables to see Shadowfax and Legolas had gone to see to Asphodel, so no one heard the arrival of two ponies outside and heard the Thain and Master of Buckland come up to the front stoop to the door.  The only thing Sam heard was the ringing of the front door bell.  He went to the door as slow as he could, not wanting to tell the story of the nights before. Faramir beat him to the door, opening it and giving his father a huge hug.  Theoden was close behind.  The two hobbits were very happy to see their older sons and hugged them back, then pulled them away and asked Sam about the two troublemakers and what they had been up to.  Sam sighed and told them to go to the back bedroom, telling them that they might get more than they had bargained for.

Poppy and Merry had started to feel better, their fevers were still high but the vomiting had stopped and the chills weren't as harsh as they were the night before.  Frodo had climbed into the bed between them and let them rest their heads on his lap while he stroked their curls and told them the stories that Bilbo had told him many years ago. He was just in the middle of the story of the trolls and the two little hobbits were about asleep once more when Pippin and Merry came through the door.

The first thing both saw were each of their youngest ones, looking pale and weak and sick.  Pippin started forward to get to his Poppy when Merry placed an arm in front of him.  "Pip, it can't be." Merry said in awe.  At first Pippin wondered what he was talking about but then saw Frodo, his Frodo, cradling the two young hobbits in his arms.  Pippin felt his tears flow freely down his face and Merry had his own cascading down his cheeks.  Frodo was crying too.  Pippin and Merry ran over and hugged their cousin, muttering that it couldn't be and that this wasn't happening.  By now tears were flowing very freely, and Pippin said, "I think we're going to flood the room at this rate!"

"No," a voice from Frodo's lap said, "You're going to flood me and Mer though da."  Pippin smiled and pulled his youngest into his lap, tickling her under her chin until he got a small laugh the kissing her forehead and pulling her close.  "You are sick, aren't you?" he said gently, "Don't worry, your Cousin Frodo will get you all better just like he did for me."  Poppy didn't answer; she was already cradled into her father's arms and sleeping soundly.  Merry took his youngest and pulled him into his arms, checking his fever and then letting the lad fall asleep in his lap.  

Frodo smiled at the way the two fathers treated their little ones and realized that he knew all along that things would be this way.  The three cousins were still crying, but now they took the advantage of the little ones sleeping and started to tell each other everything, catching up on lost time.  

Sam walked to the door a couple times, checking on the cousins but never walking into the room.  He smiled as he heard Frodo laugh for the first time in a long, long while.  


	10. Stories and dreams

That evening was one that no one would forget.  Tears and laughter filled the evening, although laughter prevailed.  Pippin and Merry were ecstatic to see Gandalf, Gimli, and Legolas once more almost as much as they were to see Frodo, and wanted a full account of everything that had happened to them.  A fire was rekindled in the living room and after supper everyone gathered around Gandalf for all the stories that he knew.  Sam's young ones sat around his feet and listened with awe.  Faramir and Theoden were lying at their father's feet, glad to get to hear the stories and see the people that Pippin and Merry had told them about so much.  Poppy and Merry were bundled in blankets and cradled in their father's arms, wishing that the night would never end, a feeling that reverberated around the entire room.

By midnight the two bundled up hobbits were fast asleep, content with stories and trying to think of ways to get more out of Gandalf the next morning.  In the next hour the other young hobbits drifted off, now lying in a mound by their fathers feet.  By three in the morning everyone was getting tired, and all retired to their rooms.  As Pippin fell asleep he realized just how much he had missed all of them, and felt himself fall asleep and dream of the days of his childhood, where everything had been as perfect as it was now.


	11. The day trip

Gimli wanted to travel.  It had been three days in Bag End, days filled with joy and plenty of food, but Gimli was in a way slightly ruined by the quest years ago and now was always wanting a short journey somewhere to keep himself occupied.  Nothing was stopping anyone from a one day journey now, even Poppy and Merry were now better, both still a little weak but well enough to sneak down to the cellars and steal some food from the larders, making Sam scold them both and their fathers try to look stern when they really just wanted to laugh at the appearance of the two young hobbits dripping on the floor because they had fallen into the water barrels.  

The next morning at breakfast Gimli's urge to go somewhere got to him and he told everyone he wanted to take a short romp about Hobbiton at least, he just wanted to get out of doors again.  The snow was still pretty thick on the ground but the skies were clear and Gandalf figured that today would be as good as any day.  Gandalf decided he would go too, to see the state that Hobbiton was in, Frodo wanted to go and see the rest of the village, and Pippin and Merry were never against going somewhere.  Faramir and Theoden desperately wanted to come along, and their fathers decided that they could under the conditions their mothers never knew about it.  Sam's three sons that were at home with him saw that their two friends got to go and begged Sam to let them come along.  Sam didn't know how he was going to tell them he couldn't, seeing as he had to stay home and care for the two younger hobbits who weren't yet able to go outside, but Legolas saved the day and told Sam he would stay at Bag End and to go along and take his sons on the little trip of the day.  Poppy and Merry begged for an hour, but when they heard that they elf was staying; they figured that they could get away with all sorts of stuff and reluctantly agreed to stay, with warnings from their fathers to be good.

Legolas stood at the door with Poppy and Merry by his side, waving the others off and telling them that they better be back for supper, making the two hobbits by his side giggle.  Once they were out of sight he shut the door tight, thinking that the day ahead was to be an easy one, with just two hobbits under his care.  Elves don't know much about young hobbits though, and he was just a bit off when he thought it would be easy.


	12. Hobbitsitting

Legolas thought that hobbits ate most of the day.  He remembered Pippin and Merry complaining about food quite often in the early stages of the quest.  He knew that hobbits definitely had a good deal of wit in them when they wanted to use it, but why would these two innocent looking young ones want to use wit when they could just relax for the day? 

The problems started when the two hobbits wanted to go outside.  They tried everything from "We promise to not talk or ask anything again for the rest of the day!" to "We won't be out long and we promise not to tell anyone!"  Legolas figured that if he took them outside once his job of hobbitsitting would be practically over and done for the day, so he made sure that they bundled up and decided to take them to the stables to see the horses.

At first the little ones were happy to see the horses and other animals, they especially loved Shadowfax to whom they fed a whole bag of apples without Legolas noticing until it was too late. Legolas shook his head and turned to put up the now empty bag.  "Alright you two, inside now!" Legolas said as he turned back around.  There wasn't a hobbit to be seen however.  He sighed and went to look around for the two, but they were nowhere to be found.  He started to walk outside, promising food if the hobbits would follow, and was met by a face full of cold, wet snow.  He heard giggling from the side of the stable.  This was going to be a long, long day.


	13. A black rider

The small company was traveling happily through a patch of woodland a half-mile back from Sam's old Gaffer's hole, sharing stories and laughing with every one.  Gandalf thought he heard noises every now and then, but shrugged it off, thinking it some animal of the forest.  After an hour though, it was obvious that everyone was hearing something by his or her body language.  Gandalf's eyebrows were slowly starting to bristle, not in anger but in some sort of anticipation.  Gimli's hand had slid to where he usually carried his axe, then pulled away remembering that he hadn't brought his axe along on what he thought would be a simple little walking party.

Even the hobbits were tensing up.  Sam was the worst, and insisted that he walked in front of the other hobbits, saying that it was 'his duty to protect the younger ones'.  Frodo didn't bother with saying that he was older than the rest, but remained alert.  

The stories continued again for a while, although the storyteller would stop and pause every now and then, afraid from their journey years ago that something was hunting them.  

All of a sudden, Gandalf halted, making the others stumble into each other.  Faramir asked, "What is going on?" to his father, who was closest at the moment.  Pippin was about to tell his son that nothing was going on, but was stopped when he heard the sound of hoof beats.  Frodo let out a gasp of terror and everyone else saw why.  A man, dressed in all black, was in front of them, bringing back the feeling of dread that it had years ago.


	14. Chocolate and rangers

"Legolas," Merry said, "We're hungry!"  Legolas sighed.  He wasn't very accustomed to cooking but it didn't look like the hobbits would ever stop begging for food so it looked as if he was going to have to resort to searching through the pantry for something for them to eat.  

Legolas started searching through the pantry with the two younger hobbits at his side, constantly complaining how they were going to die of starvation.  He went through the pantry as careful as he could, finding nothing but spices and some odd-looking kitchen tools.  He searched the top shelf once more, finally finding food.  It was a bar of chocolate; something Legolas was sure was a rare treat for hobbits. He also wasn't sure how good it was for a two little hobbits to devour a bar of chocolate, as he was sure these two could accomplish.  However, he decided to ask "Do you eat chocolate often?" to the young hobbits.

Poppy and Merry looked at each other and thought deeply.  Not many hobbits ate chocolate often, in fact no one that they knew did, but Legolas had asked if _they _ate chocolate often, and seeing as not many hobbits in the Shire had even tasted chocolate, they figured that among hobbits it must be considered that they had chocolate often.  Poppy looked at Merry, smiling and knowing that their brains had came to the same conclusion, hers maybe just a few seconds behind her older cousins.  

"Yes, we do eat chocolate often."  Merry said, looking as innocent as only he could when he was lying.  Legolas knew he could either deal with constant complaints or take their word and let them eat the chocolate.  He decided with the latter and a few minutes later were watching the two devour the chocolate so fast he had to remind them to chew.  Just as Poppy was licking the melted chocolate from her fingers the kitchen door opened, and in front stood a figure in black.  Legolas protectively pushed the little ones behind him and stared in shock at the figure.  "It couldn't be that these foul creatures could still be living, could it?" Legolas thought to himself.  

After what seemed like hours of standing and having a stare down with what he thought was a reincarnated wraith, he became shocked as Gandalf, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, and all the other hobbits walked through the door, smiling at the figure.  Before he could examine the rest to see if they had somehow been brainwashed, the figure took his black hood off from his head and said, "It's good to see you again, Legolas son of Thranduil."


	15. The happiness of home

The hooded figure was none other than Aragorn, now king of Middle Earth. He said he had a dream to come back to the Shire and visit his old friends, and decided to follow it.  Arwen had stayed back at Gondor with the promise that she would come later. Legolas had demanded for explanation, as everyone else had earlier.  It was decided that the Valar had granted Aragorn such a vision, and it was also decided that everyone had been much affected by their journey to still expect to see ringwraiths around every bend. 

  The shock of the moment was soon replaced with happiness when Merry pointed out that all the remaining fellowship was together once more.  Everyone even seemed to forget that the two youngest hobbits had slight chocolate stains on their mouths and that the roots of Legolas's hair were sopping wet.  The kitchen at Bag End was now filled with happiness as the young hobbits were swung around in the air by Aragorn, Sam put on tea and made food for everyone, and even more stories were told, once again with the youngest hobbits falling asleep in mounds at their fathers feet, and now with Poppy and Merry falling asleep in the arms of Gandalf, who had taken them when the fathers had went to help Sam carry back in the tea mugs and then been reluctant to give them back.

Months passed quicker than anyone could've expected.  Rosie had came back to Bag End with her youngest children to find a full house, and didn't mind to keep it that way seeing as who the guests were.  Sam and Rosie had convinced everyone to stay until at least Frodo's birthday (as far away as it was) except Diamond, who wanted to stay with her relatives.  Pippin tried not to let it get to him, but Frodo had caught Merry telling his younger cousin that everything would be all right more than once when the two thought they were alone. 

Life carried on, and everyone was happier then they ever thought they could be.  Merry and Pippin often had to leave on jobs that came with the title of Thain or Master but they would always return to a bustling Bag End as soon as they could.  The young hobbits found themselves being showered with gifts and stories while everyone else was just happy to be together again.  

It was September before anyone had hardly even noticed it.  The crisp autumn air had the scents of pies and spices added to it as usual, and Poppy and Merry often came in from out of doors with their older brothers and some of Sam's young hobbits, leaves sticking out of each set of curls each night when they sat down to eat their supper.  

For Frodo's birthday it was planned that a special party be held, a party of magnificence similar to Bilbo's 111th party several years ago, except with just the group that had been living in Bag End for the past months as guests.  Gandalf had even conjured up some fireworks, although how he did it was a mystery to everyone.

The party night came, and the only thing that anyone was sad about was that it hadn't come sooner.  Other hobbits in Hobbiton, old friends of Bilbo and Frodo's, had ended up coming also, but no one seemed to care that their once exclusive guest list had been broadened a bit.  Everyone had ate and was drinking their third and fourth ales and munching on the last morsels of food on their plates when Frodo stood up to give his speech.  He started out by naming everyone that had shared Bag End with him for the last several months, starting with Sam and just getting ready to end with Poppy and Merry when he realized that they weren't sitting at any of the tables.  He glanced over at Gandalf and said, "Where are those two anyways?"  Before he had even finished his sentence he saw a huge burst of flame, and then two huge eagles, made in the liking of Gwaihir and Landroval no doubt, flew over the heads of the astonished hobbits, making everyone sit in awe.  After a few minutes of flight the eagles exploded into sparks of every color that came down right to the tips of the hobbit's noses and magically vanished in front of their eyes.  

The clapping from the one hundred and forty four guests was as phenomenal as it was the first time that a firework of that magnificence was set off in the party field.  

Over to the end of the party field stood two hobbits that were hardly recognizable.  Their hair was standing on end and their faces were black with soot.  Two faces turned to each other and grinned huge grins, happier than ever of their plan, thinking it was the first time one of a wizard's fireworks had been set off by hobbits.  They also thought that they were to get off scot-free, making everyone happy, especially themselves. 

They were wrong however, and they knew so when a hand grasped one of each of their pointy ears and pulled their faces to look the firework's maker himself in the eye.  "Meriadoc Brandybuck and Poppy Took, I might have known." Gandalf said, smiling. The two young hobbits flinched when they heard Gandalf's words, fearing the worst of punishments, but instead found a smile.  "History does repeat itself." Gandalf said to himself before leading the two young hobbits to their fathers.  Pippin and Merry smiled happily at their little ones, pulling them onto seats by themselves and settling down to see the rest of the fireworks.

Frodo finished his speech and then sat down at the table with the rest of the hobbits with applause surrounding him.  Fatty Bolger stood up and started a toast to all the free folk (most especially hobbits) of Middle Earth, and everyone joined in that still had enough sense to hold up their pints.  

As Frodo looked at the silhouettes of his two youngest cousins, their hair sticking up straight in the air, their fathers who were keeping both their hobbits close to them on that night, Sam who had Rosie sitting close to him, their children either asleep on their laps or leaning against their parents with an amazing love, and lastly everyone else in the fellowship, all with their special traits showing and all wearing smiles.

Frodo looked to the heavens and thanked the Valar that he had been allowed to come back to the Shire.  He had thought often over the past months at night if he was ready to go back yet, but now knew that it would be a while before he could.  That night Frodo would remember forever, how happy he was to be here to experience the memories once again, to cry tears of happiness over how history repeated itself, to relish in the memories that he was going to get to be a part of, but most importantly to be home once again surrounded by his loved ones.


End file.
